Qingming festival, also known as the spring outing festival, is the 108th day after the winter solstice. The traditional qingming festival in China, started around the zhou dynasty, has a history of more than 2,500 years.
Influenced by the han culture, China's 24 ethnic minorities, including manchu, hezhen, zhuang, tujia, miao and yao, also have the custom of qingming festival. Grave worship, outing outing is the basic theme.
Qingming started as a name for solar terms and became a festival to commemorate ancestors related to the cold food festival. The day after the cold food festival was set as qingming festival.
Tomb-sweeping day is one of the most important "eight festivals" in China, usually around April 5 of the Gregorian calendar. The qingming festival was originally referred to 15 days after the spring equinox.
In 1935, the government of the republic of China designated April 5 as the national tomb-sweeping day, also known as the national tomb-sweeping day. When tomb-sweeping day arrives, the temperature will rise, which is a good time for spring plowing.
The origin of the qingming festival, it is said that it started from the ancient emperors and generals "tomb offering" ceremony, and later the folk also imitate, on this day to worship ancestors grave, followed by generations and become a fixed custom of the Chinese nation.
On May 20, 2006, the qingming festival declared by the ministry of culture of China was included in the first batch of national intangible cultural heritage list upon the approval of the state council.
Qing Ming is a time to remember the dead and the dearly departed. More important, it is a period to honour and to pay respect to one's deceased ancestors and family members. Because it reinforces the ethic of filial piety, Qing Ming is a major Chinese festival.
Literally meaning "clear" (Qing) and "bright" (Ming), this Chinese festival falls in early spring, on the 106th day after the winter solstice. It is a "spring" festival, and it is an occasion for the whole family to leave the home and to sweep the graves of their forebears. Chinese being practical people this sweeping of the graves is given an extended period, that is, 10 days before and after Qing Ming day. Among some dialect groups a whole month is allocated.
清明节是一个纪念祖先的节日。主要的纪念仪式是扫墓，扫墓是慎终追远、郭亲睦邻及行孝的具体表现；基于上述意义，清明节因此成为华人的重要节日。 清明节是在仲春和暮春之交，也就是冬至后的106天。扫墓活动通常是在清明节的前十天或后十天。有些地域的人士的扫墓活动长达一个月。
Qing Ming is a time to remember the dead and the dearly departed. More important, it is a period to honour and to pay respect to one's deceased ancestors and family members. Because it reinforces the ethic of filial piety, Qing Ming is a major Chinese festival.
Literally meaning "clear" (Qing) and "bright" (Ming), this Chinese festival falls in early spring, on the 106th day after the winter solstice. It is a "spring" festival, and it is an occasion for the whole family to leave the home and to sweep the graves of their forebears. Chinese being practical people this sweeping of the graves is given an extended period, that is, 10 days before and after Qing Ming day. Among some dialect groups a whole month is allocated.
ORIGIN
Qing Ming is popularly associated with Jie Zi Zhui, who lived in Shanxi province in 600 B.C. Legend has it that Jie saved his starving lord's life by serving a piece of his own leg. When the lord succeeded in becoming the ruler of a small principality, he invited his faithful follower to join him. However, Jie declined his invitation, preferring to lead a hermit's life with his mother in the mountains.Believing that he could force Jie out by burning the mountain, the lord ordered his men to set the forest on fire. To his consternation, Jie chose to remain where he was and was burnt to death. To commemorate Jie, the lord ordered all fires in every home to be put out on the anniversary of Jie's death. Thus began the "cold food feast", a day when no food could be cooked since no fire could be lit.
The "cold food" festival occurs on the eve of Qing Ming and is often considered as part of the Qing Ming festival. As time passes, the Qing Ming festival replaced the "cold food" festival. Whatever practice is observed，the basic observation of Qing Ming is to remember one's elders by making a special effort to visit their graves, ashes or ancestral tablets. To make the visit even more meaningful, some time should be spent to remind the younger members of the family of the lives and contributions of their ancestors, and the story of Jie Zi Zhui who choose death over capitulation.
